South Korean scientists have developed a new technology to diagnose and treat cancer by using light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and laparoscopy, a state-run institute has said.
The Korea Electrotechnology Research Institute (KERI) said it has developed a technology that can target tumor cells and it is in the process of transferring the related knowhow to a local company, the South Korean News Agency, Yonhap, reported.
Recently, minimally invasive treatment and diagnostic methods, such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) and laparoscopy, have gained ground as methods that greatly improve the quality of patients' lives.
PDT is a treatment that uses drugs called photosensitizing agents to "activate" certain kinds of light to help facilitate treatment. It is effective since the light only targets cancerous growth and not normal cells, according to Yonhap.
Officials explained that the technology developed by the government-run institute is a development of the process of using LED light to detect cancer cells, as well as utilizing a PDT laser designed to treat cancer based on laparoscopy technology, the German News Agency reported.
